


The Power of Love

by CreampuffedHollstein



Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom, swan queen - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 21:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreampuffedHollstein/pseuds/CreampuffedHollstein
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sequel to One Is The Loneliest Number. Emma and Regina have established a good relationship, finding themselves happy with one another even when they get on each others nerves. Life has been good to them for the past 3 years, but things are about to change and flip life inside out for the both of them. Can they make it through it all together, with the power of their love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rating this as M because of future chapters. This story starts out rough, but I have plans.

If anyone had asked the citizens of Storybrooke three years ago that Emma and Regina would become a couple and move in together, they would have laughed in their face. No one would have guessed that the two who hated each other the most would fall into a relationship. Not to mention that Emma was not one who did well with commitment.

No one had even thought Regina would find someone to settle down with, but they had all been wrong. Regina had met her match in Emma. The blond was the only one who could give her a run for her money. Which was probably why Regina had eventually found Emma alluring. Regina had never been one to back down from a challenge and Emma constantly presented her with one.

It was that challenge that had made her become Emma's secret admirer. Well, one of the challenges. Three and a half years ago, Regina had suddenly found herself jealous of Ruby Lucus. Emma had found herself interested in the waitress and began spending most of her time with the woman. Regina had immediately became jealous, finding herself hating the waitress more than usual. She'd even found herself more frustrated with Emma than usual.

So, Regina had taken the initiative, the challenge if you will, of making herself Emma's secret admirer and driving a wedge between the two. If she couldn't have Emma, no one could. What she hadn't expected from being Emma's secret admirer was being outed by her own son. Henry had recognized her handwriting and mentioned it in front of Emma.

Regina couldn't remember the last time she had felt her face flush so quickly. It was after that that she admitted to being Emma's secret admirer. Of course, Emma reacted a little differently than she had hoped. Of course the blond would think she was trying to make fun of her, make her feel ridiculous. Regina had been trying to do the exact opposite though. It had started out rocky, but the way that night had ended after Regina had confessed, well…it still brought a smile to her face. It had been the first time, of many, that they'd made love. She had been stunned to find the blond harbored deep feelings for her as well, but was not complaining in the least bit.

Somehow though, three years later, they had fallen into a life of complete domesticity. Oh sure, they weren't your typical couple and they still bit back at each other at every turn, but they were happy. In fact, Emma had moved in a year after Regina's confession. Regina had decided it would be better for her to move in since she was there all the time anyway. She had mentioned it in a casual way, making like it wasn't a big deal. But Emma had known. She had seen right through Regina and knew it was a very big deal.

It was the first time anyone had ever invited Emma to move in with them. Well, without getting money out of it anyway. It had made her nervous. She was sure she'd screw something up, but Regina kept assuring her that she wanted her there even with her quirks and mess ups. It was scary for both of them, but they'd done it. They'd made a commitment and stuck to it. Regina even found it nice to have Emma with her every night. The safety she felt in the blonds arms was addicting and she found herself clinging to Emma every night. She'd never been a cuddler and neither had Emma, but there was just something about what they captured while in each others arms that made them exactly that.

Now naturally, they did have their quarrels. Both being absolutely stubborn creatures, something was bound to happen that made them mad at each other. For instance, this morning after Regina had finally come down from getting ready for work, she walked into a kitchen that was a complete disaster. There stood her blond lover in the middle of it, spots of flour dusted all over her. Emma had given a nervous smile, already looking guilty. Regina had blown up, clearly pissed that Emma had ruined her immaculate kitchen.

"What the hell have you being doing this morning that caused all of this?" That vein in her forehead was popping out as she lifted her hands to sweep around the room.

Emma frowned, forehead crinkling in guilt. "I was trying to make breakfast for you and Henry. I got a little…carried away." That nervous smile of hers came back, but not for long. It dropped immediately when Regina stalked forward into her personal space.

"Clearly you got more than a  _little_ carried away." Regina growled, emphasizing on little. Her eyes bore into Emma's, face turning a little red. "My kitchen has always been clean and well kept, always. And yet somehow you come in and destroy the whole thing. You're just like a child. Instead of gaining a girlfriend, I gained a child!" The longer Regina spoke, the higher her pitch became. Her body even kept leaning closer and closer to Emma, almost like a lion after its prey.

Emma took a step back, putting down the bowl she had been holding and holding her hands up in surrender. "Calm down, Regina. Jesus. You don't have to get so damn evil about it. I'll clean it up. No big deal." She was just trying to get out of Regina's scrutinizing gaze and not fall into an argument, but Regina kept on.

"You're damn right you'll clean this up. And I will not calm down. I'll do whatever I damn well please. As for you…well, you better clean this up right now. You're not going to leave my kitchen a mess before you leave. I don't care if it takes all day. Clean. It. Up!" Her tone was demanding, with a tiny bit of 'Mad Mommy' coming out.

Emma's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. She hated being spoken to like she was a child. She was an adult and as Regina had just said, she'll do what she damn well pleases. The blonde's stubborn streak roared to life and she took a step towards Regina. "I'm not your child, Regina. So get off your high horse and quick treating me like one. I said I would clean it up. But I'll do it in my own time."

Regina had been walking away from Emma, but as soon as those last words fell from her lovers mouth, she spun on her heels and nailed Emma with the best of her death glares. If she still had magic, Emma would probably be dead on the floor. Emma swallowed, but didn't budge. She kept her strong stance and looked Regina straight in the eye, defying her to the best of her ability.

The blonde had been sure that Regina was about to say something nasty to her. Instead, Regina clenched her fists and closed her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath and when she opened her eyes, there was a calm look on her face that shook Emma to her core. Regina wasn't just a normal calm, but the kind of calm that came before a big ass storm. Emma swallowed, but continued to stand her ground.

"You know what? Fine. Do whatever you like. I'm going to work. I have quite a bit of work to do, so I don't know when I'll be home. Clean up the mess or don't clean up the mess. I couldn't care less." With that, Regina turned back around and stalked out of the kitchen.

Emma frowned as she stared at the spot where Regina had been standing. Just a few minutes later, Emma heard the front door slam loudly. She jumped, head hanging low as she eyed the mess. Her mouth turned down in a large frown, knowing it wasn't good when Regina left without so much as a goodbye. Usually Regina would kiss Emma's lips and mutter 'Have a good day' or 'See you soon' before she left. That was no the case this morning and of course, it was all Emma's fault.

She was still standing in the middle of the mess, feeling like an idiot, when Henry came slinking in. He was rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he finally spotted Emma standing in the middle of the messy kitchen. Henry blinked and then shook his head.

"Good luck getting out of this one." He said, making his way over to the cabinet where his favorite cereal was placed. He looked over at Emma, seeing the crestfallen look on her face. The boy sighed, shaking his head once more as he continued on his way to eat his breakfast before leaving for school.

The kitchen still hadn't been cleaned by the time Henry had left for school. Emma had disappeared up to their bedroom before Henry had even left, only coming out in different clothes just a mere minute before Henry made his way out the door. Emma had given him a hug goodbye and Henry has wished her luck with getting on Regina's good side again. He had heard what Regina had said and knew very well that when Regina stopped an argument abruptly, she was beyond angry, beyond livid. Pissing Regina off into silence was never a good sign. Emma knew this as well and knew she'd have to work damn hard to wiggle her way back into the older woman's good graces.

For the longest time she just stood inside the doorway of the kitchen, staring as she realized just how big of a mess she had made. And all of that for a breakfast no one but her had even touched. Emma scowled at the mess and mentally berated herself for being so damn messy. In a way, Regina was right. She was kind of like a child. She made messes all the time and didn't have the best table manners. She rarely put her clothes where they needed to be and living with a neat freak like Regina, well, then that was bound to turn into an issue. And it had certainly blown up in her face this morning. Although she hated it when Regina treated her like a child, she certainly couldn't blame her for doing so this morning.

It was amazing how sorry and guilty Emma could feel in a matters of seconds when it came to Regina. She used to not give a shit about anyone's feelings, but hers. That had all changed after she came to Storybrooke though. And certainly even more had changed since she'd made the sane (debatable) decision to be in a relationship with Regina. There were times when she wondered how she'd fallen into this domestic life with the woman, but one look in Regina's eyes and she was always reminded. She hadn't seen that look when the angry older woman had left moments before. Oh yeah, Emma was in some deep shit. So instead of continuing to stand and stare at the kitchen like an idiot, Emma got to work. Not only did she work on the kitchen, but she also began to plan something so she could show Regina just how sorry she really was. Emma knew she could be a screw up, but she was determined to show her girlfriend that she could do some pretty awesome things.

* * *

Regina was indeed late coming home later that night. She'd taken to avoiding Emma all day. It was easy to run into your girlfriend when you lived in such a small town. Thus the reason she'd stuck herself in her office and never came out. Not to mention, she had a pile of paperwork that needed great attention. So, when Regina had stalked off to work, she'd thrown herself into all of that paperwork. But try as she might, she couldn't get the sight of her messy kitchen with Emma standing in it out of her head.

On one hand, she felt terrible for blowing up at her blond lover. On the other hand, she felt she had a right to be mad. Emma knew how she was, knew she was a clean freak to rival all clean freaks. So why in the hell would she make such a damn mess? There were days when Regina just couldn't understand why Emma did the things she did. Sometimes she was far less mature than Henry. And she was a damn adult!

Those were the things that kept plaguing her mind as she tried to focus on her work. She'd sat at her office until 10:30, finally finding her eyes were too tired to look at the piles of paper anymore. So she'd decided, begrudgingly, that she'd finally go home. She still didn't want to see Emma. Wasn't in the mood with putting up with her usual apologies. Today was just a bad day to do it.

However, when Regina finally made her way up to their bedroom, she was surprised to see her bed empty. Her heart stopped in her chest, mind telling her that she'd yelled at Emma for the last time. She was sure Emma had left her. It was a constant fear that was always in the back of her mind. But now, oh now she was positive she had screwed up royally.

"Mom?" Henry questioned from behind her, finding it odd she was just standing in the doorway. Regina jumped, turning towards Henry in a flash. Henry took a step back, looking at her like she was crazy

Regina blinked, mind trying to catch up with her. "Where's Emma?" Was the first thing that came tumbling from her mouth, unable to keep the fear from reaching her eyes.

Henry poked his thumb downstairs before speaking. "She's in the dining room. She cooked dinner for us tonight and has been waiting for you ever since. She only moved to come tuck me in. The boy frowned a little, feeling he was too old for that now.

The relief that was over Regina was like taking a breath after being held under water. She smiled down at Henry, taking him by the shoulders and hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Henry." Love dripping from every word. She kissed the top of his head, then turn him around and pat his back. "Now go to bed." She said sternly, watching as he rolled his eyes and padded off to his room.

Regina wanted to run into the dining room and sweep Emma into her arms. She wanted to apologize for blowing up this morning and then fall asleep with her lovers arms wrapped around her. However, Regina's pride got in the way, as per usual, still battling to win now that she knew Emma was not actually gone. So, instead of raving downstairs and apologizing, Regina turned back to the bedroom and took her time with showering and putting on her pajamas.

When she finally emerged from her room, she calmly walked down the staircase as if nothing had gone wrong this morning, as if she hadn't thought her happy ending had been ripped away from her once more. She walked into the dining room with her head held eye, face schooled into almost no emotion at all. However, when her eyes caught sight of Emma sleeping and slumped over the table, mouth open and hair flung out around her, the softness immediately came back to her features.

Two set of plates were set side by side, a rather delicious looking chicken sitting with decorated vegetables on them. There was a candle lit, light flicker and begging to be snuffed out. Regina wondered how long Emma had been sitting there waiting for her. Guilt flared in Regina's chest, making her feel like the Evil Queen she used to be. Not that she had done anything that bad in quite some time. But it seemed Emma had gone through quite an effort to apologize to her for this morning.

Quietly she walked over to Emma, ever so slightly running her hands through blond tresses. Emma stirred, but did not wake. Regina bent down to kiss Emma on her head, a soft smile dancing on her lips. With Emma asleep and looking so innocent, there wasn't an ounce of Regina that could be mad at her. Regina's stomach growled at her, telling her that she hadn't eaten since grabbing a bagel at Granny's that morning. She huffed and turned away from Emma, giving her one last glance before moving to make her way into the kitchen.

She had expected to find her kitchen still a mess. Regina had been sure Emma's stubborn streak would flare to new heights and make her defy anything Regina had told her to do this morning. But that apparently that had not been the story. When Regina opened the door to the kitchen, what greeted her was exactly what it should have been this morning…only better. The kitchen was masterpiece, all spotless and completely clean. Everything was in its rightful place, light from the kitchen gleaming off all the glasses and pots and pans.

A smile crept over Regina's lips and tears formed in her eyes. It must have taken Emma forever to get it this clean, if the mess from the morning had been any indication. Regina shook her head, eyes floating over to the white roses sitting in a crystal vase on the counter. She stepped over to the roses, finger grazing over one of them ever so softly. Just as she leaned in to sniff them, she felt a hand on her back. Usually Emma would come up behind her and wrap her arms around her waist. It seems she was still treading on broken glass. Not that she could blame her.

"I'm so sorry, Regina." Emma whispered, hand slowly moving up and down Regina's back. She moved her hand when Regina turned around to her. However, she frowned when a tear streaked down Regina's face. She was about to kiss it away before Regina quickly got a hold of herself, wiping the tear away on her own. Emma gave a shy smile, apologizing with her eyes now.

"Yes, well, perhaps I was out of line myself." Regina said after clearing her throat. Emma just smiled, holding back a chuckle. She knew that was Regina's way of apologizing. And she was not about to take that lightly. Emma finally reached for Regina, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her into a soft hug. Regina melted into her, a small smile breaking out on her lips. "The roses are lovely." She whispered softly into Emma's hair, her own arms coming to wrap around the younger woman.

"Got them just for you." Emma replied, pulling Regina back only to give her a soft kiss to the lips. Regina leaned into the kiss, smiling into it as well. These were the moments she savored. It was things like this that Emma did that kept her from regretting making the decision to commit to a relationship with her. It wasn't just that though, Emma kept her happy. A word she hadn't been able to use to describe herself in ages.

When the kiss broke, Emma tilted her head a bit and smile every so slightly at Regina. "I made dinner. Even had a candle burning while I waited for you. You know, want to be all romantic and shit." Regina narrowed her eyes at the crudeness, but let it go. "I just wanted to make up for the mess. I was home all day cleaning everything up. And going by how you were smelling the roses instead of throwing them, I'm assuming I'm forgiven?" Emma gave a nervous smile then while trying to pull off her best puppy dog eyes.

That was when Regina had to laugh. She threw her head back, laughing as she let the amusement wash over her. When she looked back at Emma, her eyebrows had disappeared into her hairline. She apparently hadn't expected that kind of response. Regina let her laugh die down and she leaned towards Emma, noses nearly touching. "Nearly forgiven, dear. But not wholly." Her finger slowly ran down the front of Emma's tank top seductively as she watched the frown form on her lovers lips.

"But don't look so sad." Regina started, lips turning up into a seductive and devilish grin. "You just have to do one thing for me and you'll be completely…forgiven." She whispered the last word, lips half an inch away from Emma's.

Emma's green eyes turned dark as she swallowed, shuddering from Regina's seductive little moves. "A-anything." She managed to mumble, stumbling over the simple word. Regina had a way of turning Emma into a stuttering mess when she turned from casual house mom to full on seductress.

If at all possible, Regina's smile turned even more evil. "Take. Me. To. Bed." With that, her tongue flicked out to lick at Emma's lips, an alluring little moan escaping her just for effect. Regina did not move from Emma's personal space. Instead she just continued to wait for Emma to heed her demand.

Emma's brain nearly short circuited when she heard those words come from Regina's mouth. However, her brain quickly snapped back to attention and told her that this meant she was indeed forgiven. Emma wasted no time in sweeping Regina off her feet, carrying the woman up to their bedroom in quite an impressive amount of time. The door was shut and locked behind them as they disappeared into their bedroom. Forgiveness, Emma knew, was a sweet, sweet victory.


	2. Chapter 2

It was just a regular day in Storybrooke, nothing out of the ordinary happening. Regina and Emma carried out their usual morning routines, only exchanging flirty glances every now and then. The previous night of love making was definitely putting a little pep in their step. Henry sat at the table watching them, pleased to see Regina had forgiven Emma fairly quickly. However, he hated seeing them be all flirty with each other in front of him.

"Do you guys mind? I'm trying to eat breakfast here." Henry whined, sounding like a typical thirteen year old boy.

Emma chuckled as she let go of her girlfriends waist, sliding into the chair next to Henry. "Get over it, kid. You'd think you'd be used to us acting this way by now." She leaned over to ruffle his hair, but he managed to dodge it in time.

Regina watched them for a moment from her spot next to the counter, sipping on her cup of coffee. A small smile danced around her lips as her little family laughed over their morning breakfast. Regina had never once thought her happy ending would be something like this. She'd never thought of herself as the domestic housewife that watched her family get along during breakfast. Granted, some mornings didn't start out so well, but every argument between her and Emma were always resolved. Sometimes it took a day. Sometimes it took a week and once in a while it would take even more than that, but in the end they always made up.

Last night had definitely been a make up night. The smile on Regina's face grew larger as she thought about it, skin heating up just the tiniest bit as flashes of the previous night breezed through her mind. Emma seemed to notice the light blush to Regina's skin and cut off her joking around with Henry. She gave her son a smile before moving from her chair and over to Regina, palm sitting lightly against Regina's cheek. "You okay, Gina?" Emma questioned, an amused look on her face. She could read Regina so very well and already knew the answer, but she loved to tease Regina now and then. Or rather, if she was being honest with herself, a lot.

Leaning into Emma's touch, an automatic reaction for Regina now, she glared at Emma and rolled her eyes. "Not now, Emma." She scolded, not wanting to get into why she wasn't okay in front of Henry. However, he got the gist and did his own eye roll, looking just like Regina when he did it.

"Yeah, I'm going to school now. See you guys later." And before either Emma or Regina could turn to say goodbye, Henry had dashed out of the kitchen, leaving his bowl of cereal on the table.

Regina sighed and pulled away from Emma, going straight to the abandoned bowl. "I swear, the older he gets, the more of your bad habits he picks up." The brunette scolded, scooping up the bowl, the box of cereal and the milk.

Emma frowned dramatically, feigning hurt. "So what are you saying, I'm like a teenage boy?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and then wiggling them, flashing a toothy grin.

Regina pursed her lips, but then chuckled. "Yes, actually, that is exactly what I'm saying. Your table manners, the way you leave things around the house all the time. And let us not forget the mess you made yesterday morning." It was Regina's turn to raise her eyebrow now, eying Emma as she washed out the bowl and set it in the dishwasher.

Emma scowled, moving closer to Regina and leaning against the counter top. "Ah, come on, Regina. I apologized for that. Remember?" The blonde gave her infamous crooked smile and winked at the brunette. Her hand came up to place her forefinger against Regina's cheek. Slowly she moved Regina's head her way, leaning in to place a feverish kiss on those oh so kissable lips.

When their lips parted, Regina let out a ragged sigh as her body leaned towards Emma. "Mmm, true, you did apologize. And I did forgive you." Regina's tone was a wicked whisper, a playful grin working its way around the edges of her mouth. "Repeatedly." She growled, grin widening further as she nipped at Emma's bottom lip.

The blonde groaned as her girlfriend took her bottom lip in between her teeth, pulling just a little before planting a toe curling kiss to her lips. When Regina pulled away from her, Emma's head was swimming. She plastered a smile to her face before giving a contented sigh. "Have I ever told you how much of a damn good kisser you are?" She mumbled, arm moving to curl around Regina's waist.

Regina chuckled and nodded. "Oh yes, dear, many times." She threw a wink at Emma before grabbing a towel and drying her hands off. She moved back in front of Emma, using her superb sense of sexuality to lean into Emma's body and place her lips against her ear. "Now, as much as I would love to take you on the counter right here, right now…" Regina paused to nibble on Emma's earlobe, tongue snaking out to lick at the hollow of her ear before letting go. "I have to go to work." Regina pushed away then, swinging her hips as she made her way out of the kitchen. "Town to run." She threw the words over her shoulder before disappearing into the hallway.

Emma was glued to her spot for the moment, the heat between her thighs throbbing as she let out a pained groan. After taking a moment to try to steady her legs, Emma pushed herself off of the counter and went in search of Regina. She found her by the closet door, slipping on one of her many expensive jackets. Regina moved to the mirror and applied a new layer of lipstick, smacking her lips together before nodding. Just as she was flipping her hair, Emma moved behind her, hands automatically gripping at Regina's hips.

"Come on, Gina. Can't you just stay home today? We can both take a sick day. We'd have the whole house to ourselves. And there are still some places in this house I'd love make to love to you in." Emma whispered in Regina's ear before turning on her own charm as she placed her lips to Regina's neck. She could tell just by the way Regina's body responded that the idea was alluring, but she should have known rejection was closer than she wanted it to be.

Regina gave a heavy sigh and turned on Emma, a frown etched on her face. "I'm sorry, Emma. As much as I would love that, I need to go to work. The town won't run itself." She paused, seeing the dejected look on Emma's face. It broke her heart to see Emma so let down. When Emma had first shown up in Storybrooke, Regina would have done anything to see such a look on the blonde's face. However, things had changed dramatically and now she just wanted the look erased for good.

"I tell you what." Regina started, smiling lightly at Emma. "This Saturday we'll make some time for us. I'll cook something special. And then you can make love to me anywhere you want and for as long as you want. How does that sound?" She raised an eyebrow, forefinger lifting Emma's chin up so she could see those gorgeous green eyes.

"What about Henry?" Emma asked, still looking slightly sad. But Regina's proposal had perked her up just the tiniest bit.

"We'll …" Regina blew out a puff of air, thinking hard, "send him off with a friend or something. Or make him do something productive. Whatever you want." The older woman offered, raising her eyebrows in hope.

For a moment Emma was silent, eyes slipping away from Regina's. Just a few short seconds later, a breathtaking smile spread across her lips and her arms encircled Regina's waist. "Sounds like a plan." She muttered before placing a quick kiss to Regina's lips. Emma then let go of her, turning back towards the kitchen. "Have a good day at work."

Regina shook her head, rolling her eyes as she watched Emma disappear back into the kitchen. "Whatever will I do with her?" She mumbled to herself, grabbing her purse before heading out of the door. Despite the question though, Regina knew exactly what she wanted to do with her. She had plans for this Saturday, plans she hadn't discussed with anyone. Big plans that meant a big change. She just had one stop to make before Saturday rolled around. One stop that meant her decision had been made. It would, in the end, be Emma's answer that would make or break everything.

* * *

Hours later, after picking Henry up from school, Emma found herself sitting with her son and Mary Margaret in Granny's diner. As Henry and Mary Margaret spoke about something fun that had happened during school hours, Emma sat quietly sipping on her hot cocoa. She was having one of her moments. The kind of moment where she mentally took a step out of her body and took a look at her life. She had done this a few times since getting together with Regina, but today it all seemed more surreal than usual.

Emma had looked at her life plenty of times before, but it had never seemed so…happy. If anyone had told her five years ago that she'd be living in a quaint little town in Maine with her son and his adoptive mother, she would have punched them dead in the face. She hadn't ever expected to be living the domestic life with a son and a wife. Hell, she'd never even considered a husband, much less a wife. However, as crazy as it all sounded, there was no way she was giving any of it up now. She'd fight to the death to keep her girlfriend and their son. When she had first realized she'd die for them, it had been a hell of a shocker, but it was as normal as walking to think it now.

"Emma? Emma?" Mary Margaret's voice crashed into Emma's ears, breaking her from her moment.

Emma blinked, looking down at her cocoa and then up at Mary Margaret. "Yeah?" She raised her eyebrows in question, still halfway lost in thought. She felt Henry's questioning eyes on her, but she ignored him for now

"I asked if you made up with Regina." Mary Margaret said, leaning forward on the table as a look of concern made itself present on her features.

"Oh. Uh…yeah. Everything's fine now." Emma's eyes darted to Henry, afraid to say anything more extensive than that. He didn't need to know that they made up….multiple times….and in many different positions.

"That's good, Emma. That's good." Mary Margaret paused, an innocent look on her face as she smiled at her best friend. "How'd you get her to calm down?" She questioned, propping her elbow up on the table and laying her chin in her hand.

"Yeah, Emma. How in the world do you get mom to forgive you so fast?" Henry asked, eyes inquisitive and curious as he stared up at her.

Emma's tongue tripped over words, face turning a bit flush. She was so having an off day. Henry was thirteen years old now, but she didn't want to be discussing her sex life with her son. Not that he'd want to hear it. It took her forever to finally be able to get more than a few jumbled up syllables out of her mouth. "Just, ya know, puppy dog eyes and apologies. That kind of stuff." And before Henry could ask anymore questions, she jumped up from her seat and smiled down at Henry. "How about you go get some ice cream? Go talk to Ruby."

That seemed to perk Henry up quite a bit as he hopped out of the booth. "Sure! Can I have some money?" Henry asked, holding out his hand. He had become the early teenager who asked for money frequently.

Emma gave him a high five and turned him towards the counter, ignoring the look of incredulity on Henry's face. "I'm sure if you're nice enough, Ruby will give it to you for free."

Henry rolled his eyes and shook his head, giving Emma a sideways glance before walking past her and sitting at the diner counter. Emma watched him for a moment as he talked with Ruby, being a little more flirty than she would ever be comfortable with. He was growing up far too quickly and his interest in girls were increasing. A sudden clearing of the throat made Emma's head snap towards Mary Margaret, a look of apology quickly racing to her face.

"So, how'd you get Regina to forgive you?" Mary Margaret inquired again, that soft smiling adorning her features yet again.

Emma sighed and leaned back into the booth. She'd almost forgotten she had called MM about it. "I cleaned up the kitchen, made sure it was freaking spotless." She began, sighing heavily as she remembered what a hassle that had been. "I made dinner. An edible dinner, thank you very much." She grinned a little at that, knowing that most people knew she was not much of a cook. "I bought her white roses and lit candles on the dinner table, tucked Henry in and waited for her." Emma paused there, chewing on her bottom lip. "She came home late, but I apologized and she apologized as well." At Mary Margaret's raised eyebrow, Emma rolled her eyes. "Apologized in her own way. And then I took her to bed…all night. It was probably the best sex we've had in long…"

Mary Margaret quickly cut her off, waving her hands as she closed her eyes and shook her head. "You can stop there. I don't need to be about that. "It's still very weird hearing about Regina and sex." MM shivered. "I don't even like using that word and her name in the same sentence." She shivered once more before returning to her normal state of quietness. She was silent for the longest time, sipping on her own cup of cocoa. Every now and then she'd glance up at Emma.

Emma knew those looks. She knew MM like the back of her hand and the small glances she was giving told Emma she wanted to ask her something else. "Spit it out." She grunted, sinking into her seat with her cup in her hands.

The brunette was quiet for another moment before taking in a breath and then spilling all her words in one breath. "I just really want to make sure you're still happy with Regina. It had just all been a surprise to everyone when you announced your relationship."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Emma squeezed her eyes tightly together "M&M…" She started, opening her green eyes and staring into ones very similar to her. "Look, I know you're always going to be concerned, but if Regina and I have made it this far, don't you think we'll be able to last?" Emma leaned forward, tilting her head and giving Mary Margaret the 'are you ever going to quit asking me that' face.

Mary Margaret laid her hands on the table, leaning forward as well. "I know, I know. You get tired of me asking. But Emma…" The brunette paused, fiddling with the ring on her finger. "When you first came here, you were the 'one night stands only' type of girl. That can be an easy thing to change, even in three years."

"Mary Margaret, I love Regina and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Yes, I realize that is a big change from who I was when I first came to Storybrooke, but I can do this. You just have to trust me."

A tinge of red washed over Mary Margaret's cheeks as she looked down at the table. She was embarrassed for asking, but she was only concerned Regina would hurt Emma. "I do trust you. It's Regina I don't trust."

At this, Emma sighed heavily and rubbed her hands against her jean clad thighs. "Yes, I know you don't trust Regina, but that doesn't matter. I trust Regina. I'm the one in the relationship with her, not you." Emma gave the brunette a stern look, wishing like hell she'd just drop the whole thing. "It's been three years. I'm not going anywhere and neither is she."

Mary Margaret nodded, taking a hold of her cup of cocoa again and taking one sip before sitting it back down. A smile cracked over her face after a minute and she leaned into the back of the seat. "I suppose I should leave it alone. You've both become very domesticated." Her smile lit up brighter as Emma had the guts to look shocked.

"Domesticated? What? Excuse me, but I am not domesticated. I may be a one woman kind of girl now, but I still have a wild streak in me." Emma's tone sounded as if she was trying to convince even herself of this fact.

The mousy brunette started to chuckle, shaking her head at Emma. "Oh come on, Emma. You made her dinner last night, bought her flowers and then waited up for her. I would eve bet that you put Henry to bed so Regina would have to." Mary Margaret raised her eyebrow, knowing very well that it had to be true.

The blonde glared at her friend, unable to deny anything she had said. "Whatever." She mumbled, though there was a hint of a smile trying desperately to break free. It almost did before Mary Margaret asked a mind boggling question.

"Have the two of you thought of getting married?"

Emma's mouth dropped open, cleaning not having been expecting that question. "I…uh…well….I just…um…" The blonde blinked rapidly and stuttered, face going flush for yet the second time today.

Mary Margaret bit back her laugh and patted Emma's hand. "It was just a question, Emma. Calm down."

"Right, well…" Emma took in a deep breath and sucked down the rest of her drink. She slammed the cup back down onto the counter and stared at the table, eyes unblinking. "I hadn't really thought about marriage. I don't even know if Regina wants something like that. It's never been discussed. I mean, sure, I want to spend the rest of my life with her. She's the one and I can feel it in my bones, but a wedding…with cake and guests and dresses…" The thought made Emma want to jump out of her skin. "I don't do well with attention and big affection crap. You know that."

MM nodded, trying her best to placate her friend. "It's okay, Emma. It's not like it's happening tomorrow or anything." She gave Emma a reassuring grin and then glanced up at the clock. "Oh! Crap! I'm supposed to meet David in five minutes." Mary Margaret did her flustering and nearly dropped her cup of cocoa. Emma saved her though and handed MM her jacket. "Thanks." She mumbled, giving a small smile to Emma.

Emma raised her eyebrow, having thought Mary Margaret was taking a break from David. Ever since Kathryn and David's divorce, they had been on and off again. Frankly, Emma was getting tired of the whole thing. They either needed to break up or get married.

The brunette frowned down at Emma. "I know what you're thinking. We're not doing anything just…trying to work through everything."

"Sure. If that's what you wanna call it." Emma knew exactly what they were doing and the guilty look on MM's face told all.

"Oh stop. He's a good man. He just…needs to figure things out."

"It's been two and a half year, Mary Margaret." Emma scolded as she took money from her pocket and threw it on the table.

"I know it has been, but I think we're making progress. Just give it time." MM pleaded, eyes matching her tone.

Emma shook her head, but then smiled. "Sure, sure. Time. Have a good night, Mary Margaret." With that, Emma turned to retrieve Henry from flirting with Ruby. Mary Margaret quickly made her way out of the diner and practically ran towards her apartment.

* * *

It was later that night, as Mary Margaret participated in exactly what Emma knew she'd be doing, that memories began to flood into her mind. It was just as David pushed one more time with a groan that a ripple burst through her body, memories of her old life flashing through her mind. Every memory of her life before this one mixed with the life she had been living for the past twenty-eight years. In that moment something happened that would throw a kink in multiple lives. She let out a cry, but not the one she had anticipated. It was a cry of pain, loss, happiness and pleasure. David looked down at her in concern as she blinked the sweat from his eyes.

"Mary Margaret? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" David questioned in a shaky voice, clearly concerned with the cry out that she had given.

"Oh my god! I remember! I remember everything!" She shouted, wrapping her arms tightly around David as tears spilled from her eyes.

David looked confused, but held onto her just as tightly. "What are you talking about?" He asked, slowing rubbing his hands up and down Mary Margaret's back.

If only he knew that the woman he was holding onto had remembered her entire life before this world. If only he knew that Mary Margaret was in fact Snow White, his beloved wife. If only David knew. He didn't, but Mary Margaret did.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina was not really very sure why she had left so early in the morning. So early, in fact, that she had been up before Emma could even notice she had gotten out of bed. The house had been deathly quiet when she'd walked out the front door, locking it behind her. Her nerves were on edge and she felt like a complete wreck. Regina had sat in her Mercedes for an hour before actually pulling out of the driveway. It was a miracle Emma hadn't caught her just sitting there considering she left right about the time Emma's alarm clock would be going off.

The brunette spent another hour sitting across the street from the only jeweler in town. Her nerves made her stomach twist and brought on a bought of nausea. Regina sat with her head against the steering wheel for fifteen minutes, her arm wrapped tightly around her stomach. When the nausea finally dissipated, Regina began to wonder if maybe she should have looked up better engagement rings on the internet. She had no idea if the rings the jeweler in Storybrooke had were of great quality or not. Her mind kept telling her to just go in and look, that there was no harm in looking, but she had sat in her car a bit longer and let her mind race with nervous thoughts.

Eventually people began to walk past her car, staring as they walked by. Regina ignored them, shoving open her car door and retreating from the warmth of the car to walk across the street towards the store. Just as Regina placed her hand on the doorknob, she stopped and her eyes fell to the ground. This was a big decision she was making. Very, very big. Emma had never mentioned marriage before, never spoke of it or showed any interest in it. Neither had Regina, but for the past few month her mind had been riddled with the idea. It wouldn't leave her alone. She had been obsessing over it for so long that she had finally spoken to Henry about it. Henry had encouraged her, told her that it would be good for the both of them to make that commitment, even after three years.

While Regina wasn't sure she should be taking advice from a thirteen year old, she was sure that her heart agreed with Henry. It was her mind that continued to make her stall. Marrying Emma had become somewhat of a small dream for Regina. Not because it was something every little girl dreamed of, but because Regina realized she wanted permanence. She wanted to be bound to Emma in all way possible and the only move left was to marry her. Never in a million years would Regina have thought she'd be the one proposing, but getting Emma to do anything productive was a feat all on its own. So, Regina was taking matters into her own hands.

It was those thoughts that made Regina turn the doorknob and walk into the store. She was going to do this and she was going to do it right. Henry's advice about Emma rang through Regina's mind as rings immediately caught her attention. He had told her that Emma was a simple woman, something Regina already knew. This told Regina that Emma more than likely wouldn't go for the rings that were iced out to the max. While Regina looked at it as the more diamonds, the better, she was positive Emma would not look at it the same. So, with a large breath and a mental kick to her own ass, Regina took a few more step into the store and kept her nerves as steady as possible.

"Oh! Good morning, Madam Mayor!" The clerk immediately greeted, a nervous look on her face as Regina made her way to the counter. "What, uh…what can I do for you?"

Regina tried to give her best non threatening smile, but it didn't seem to quell the fear in the clerk's eyes. Clearly she still intimidated a large amount of people in Storybrooke. "I'm looking for engagement rings." The brunette stated, smile softening as she thought of Emma.

The woman's eyes went wide as she heard the Mayor's answer. She blinked, clearly taken by surprise. "Uh…" The lady's mouth hung open for a moment, but it immediately snapped shut when Regina raised a questioning eyebrow. "W-well, do you have anything…specific in mind?"

"Something simple, but of the best quality. Nothing that is too flashy. Platinum or white gold would be preferred. Price isn't a matter." Regina explained, placing her hands on the edge of the counter.

The woman immediately set into a nervous action and as she fumbled for engagement rings, Regina wondered if somehow this would get out to the town. She would have to put a stop to that before it even started. She didn't need Emma finding out about this before she was able to pop the question. In a matter of minutes, the clerk had five rows of rings sitting on the counter. The woman took a deep breath and gave a very tiny smile.

"These are all the simple, platinum and white gold engagement rings we have. All of them are of the best quality, as you asked. I do hope there's something in there that will catch the Sheriff's eye."

Regina's eyes swung up to the woman with her last sentence, but she said nothing. She gave a nod before looking back down at the rings. Regina found herself wondering if perhaps she should look at them through Emma's perspective. Which was, of course, harder than she imagined. Regina gave a sigh, wishing like hell she could travel somewhere else to look for a ring for Emma. Regina Mills did not look around in second rate jewelry stores. But unfortunately, this was the only option she had. Regina wanted to propose to Emma on Saturday when they had their alone time, so online shopping wasn't an option.

The brunette skimmed over the first three rows of rings, finding them all to be unsuitable. A frustrated sigh escaped her as she passed up the fourth row as well. Fortunately for the pale clerk watching her, one of the rings on the fifth row caught Regina's eyes. She pointed to it, and requested to pick the ring up. The clerk only nodded her head in answer, clearly afraid to refuse the Mayor. Regina gingerly picked up the ring and examined it, looking at it from every angle. After a moment, she look up to the clerk with a serious face.

"What can you tell me about this one?" Regina questioned.

"Oh! It's eighteen carat, white gold straight engagement ring. Very beautiful and assuredly wonderful quality." The clerk answered, giving a hopeful smile.

Regina nodded and began to examine it again. It seemed simple enough. There was a fairly good sized diamond in the middle and three smaller diamonds beside it on both sides. It gleamed beautifully in the light of the store, which made Regina think it would look marvelous in the sun. A small smile grew across her painted lips, but it disappeared a moment later.

"I do like this one, but perhaps I should look at more. Show me a few more rows, but keep this row sitting here." Regina demanded, placing her hand on the row she had gotten the ring out of.

The clerk immediately did as she was told, scurrying to remove the first four row of rings and bring out four more. When all the rows were set into place again, Regina began to eye every single ring. She had to be sure of the perfect one, had to be sure that Emma would like it. The special moment would be ruined if Emma hated the ring. Regina was putting far more pressure on herself than was necessary, but she wanted to do this as correctly and beautifully as possible. It was as she thought this that her brown eyes caught a ring more beautiful than the one she had picked up. Quickly she reached for the ring and immediately the clerk explained it to her.

"This one is called the intertwined pavé diamond engagement ring. Eighteen carats and white gold as well."

Regina couldn't quit staring at the ring, finding the name of the ring interesting. Just with the word 'intertwined,' Regina was sold. Immediately she began to question the clerk about price and all questions she could thing of about the ring. It didn't take much to persuade that this was the perfect ring. It wasn't as simple as she had originally wanted, but she was positive Emma would love it. Especially if she explained why she bought this particular one. Of course, Regina knew she was getting ahead of herself. Who knew if Emma would actually say yes. Regina found it quite embarrassing that Emma had somehow changed her into the woman worried about the perfect engagement ring.

Some time later, Regina exited the jewelers shop with the engagement ring tucked protectively and secretively into her purse. She chanced a few glances inside of the box inside her car before continuing on to work. Regina would find herself staring at it for most of the day.

* * *

Later that day, Emma sat at her desk behind mountains of paper work. For a small town, there seemed to be an awful lot of it. Emma dozed off a few times, nearly knocking some of the paper off of the desk, but she'd wake up in time not to shove it all the way off and into the floor. Excitement was scarce for the Sheriff department, sadly. Leroy being let out after a night of drunkenness was the only had done all day. Hell, she had even given up on the paperwork and sat back in her chair with her legs propped on the desk. Little did Emma know that Mary Margaret was out to find her and her day was about to decline quickly.

Emma had just dozed off once again when Mary Margaret came bursting into the office. Emma jumped and nearly fell out of her chair as the door to the office slammed. Emma blinked, completely disoriented and missing most of what Mary Margaret was babbling to her. The blonde rubbed her temples and then threw her hands up, waving them for a moment before getting up fro her seat.

"Mary Margaret!" Emma yelled, immediately cutting off the brunette's chattering. "What the hell are you blabbering about? And you need to calm down. You scared the hell out of me," She chastised, glaring at Mary Margaret. Emma's small rant, however, didn't seem to effect Mary Margaret at all.

The brunette rushed over to the blonde and threw her arms around her, giving her a tight and almost endless hug. Emma struggled not to be a total bitch to her friend, but Mary Margaret was acting a little freaky. She squirmed out of Mary Margaret's hold and took a step back. She was about to ask a question when Mary Margaret cut her off and started her awkward babbling again.

"Oh, Emma! My baby girl! I knew you would come back to us." Tears formed in Mary Margaret's eyes and began to trickle onto her cheeks. "I'm just so glad I have you back!" She tried to pull Emma back into a hug, but Emma put her hand up and took another step back.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Emma asked, finding Mary Margaret's before beyond freaky.

"Emma! You're my daughter! Henry was right! There is a curse and Regina…" Mary Margaret trailed off, remembering that Emma was in a relationship with Regina. Her face fell dramatically, a deep frown etching into her mouth. "I knew you would save us, but…. But I never expected you to be in a relationship with the Evil Queen. How did that happen? Why would you do that? She's evil and she cursed us!" Mary Margaret fell into Emma's chair, placing her face in her hands.

Emma watched Mary Margaret with wide, worried eyes. Clearly there was something wrong with her. Or maybe, just maybe, this was just some weird way to get Emma to realize her relationship with Regina was a mistake. Mary Margaret had been questioning her about ever since Emma had revealed the relationship. Emma gritted her teeth and her blood went hot. She hadn't realized her friend was so against the relationship.

"I can't believe you, Mary Margaret. You barged in here just to use some dumb fairytale excuse to try to tell me you don't approve of mine and Regina's relationship?" If it were possible, Emma was sure steam would be rolling from her ears. Pissed would be a very large understatement to be used for how she felt.

"No! No, no!" Mary Margaret insisted, rising from the chair. "I'm telling you that Henry's book is real. Those stories are real. And Regina is the Evil Queen. She cursed all of us. Emma…." Mary Margaret paused, the lines of her forehead crinkling and tears staining her cheeks as she tilted her head. "I'm your mother, Emma." The words were soft, almost as if the brunette couldn't believe it.

Emma went silent, staring blankly at Mary Margaret for a moment. However, after that moment of silence, she ground her teeth together as her jaw tightened. She couldn't believe her best friend was doing this. Most of the town seemed to have at least slightly accepted that Regina and Emma were together, but she would have expected this reaction from anyone except Mary Margaret.

"GET OUT!" Emma hollered, pointing angrily at the door. Mary Margaret's mouth fell open and she tried to speak, but Emma stopped her. "No! Don't you say anything. Dammit, Mary Margaret! What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you say something like that?" Emma's hands began to shake with anger and she balled them into fists. "Get out. Before I do something I'll regret. Get. Out. Now." The blonde was seething as she stared Mary Margaret down.

The brunette looked as if she was about to protest, but thankfully she had better sense. Mary Margaret only nodded and quietly exited the Sheriff's office. She hung her head she walked out of the door, clearly disappointed in Emma's reaction. Although, she should have known better. She knew very well that Emma didn't believe in any of the fairytales.

Emma didn't move, even after Mary Margaret left. She stood there, glued to the ground, with her fists tightly balled up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wishing that her day had just gone on being boring like it had been before. When her muscles ached from being strained too long, Emma finally stretched out her hands and let out an angry growl. She didn't even feel like sitting in the Sheriff's office anymore. So, she quickly threw her leather jacket on, picked up her keys and turned off all the lights before heading out to her bug. She slammed every door, including her car door, and punched her steering wheel before deciding to turn the car on. Saying 'fuck it' to any speed limit rules, Emma sped all the way home, making it there in a record time of four minutes.

* * *

Regina returned home at her usual time, but instead of waltzing in as she usually did, she sneaked in. She kicked her heels off at the door, unusual for her, and tip toed her way into her office. With swift and precise motions, Regina had the engagement ring locked away in her desk. She felt like she could breathe again when it was secure and safe from wandering eyes. Regina gave herself a nod before retreating from her office and making her way upstairs.

It was as she slipped into her bedroom that she noticed it was unusually quiet in her home. She knew Henry was with Dr. Hopper, but Emma was usually making some kind of noise. In fact, Emma usually found Regina immediately after she came home to greet her. But that hadn't happened yet and she had to wonder what had happened during Emma's day to make her this quiet. Regina turned towards the closed door of their bathroom and found light shining from under it.

Regina made her way to the door and slowly opened it, peaking inside. She found Emma sitting in the tub, water covering her up to her neck. The blonde had her head leaning back against the wall and her eyes closed. Regina slipped into the bathroom and closed the door quietly behind her. She situated herself on the edge of the tub, brown eyes roaming over Emma's naked form through the water. After a moment of studying Emma's face, Regina reached out her hand to smooth back some of the loose blonde curls.

As soon as Regina touched her, Emma jumped and sat up, effectively splashing water all over the bathroom floor and Regina. When Emma realized what she had done, her green eyes went wide and she reached a hand out to her girlfriend.

"Oh my god! Regina! I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in. You scared me." Emma said through a few deep breaths.

Regina blinked a few times, standing up from her seated position and grabbing a towel from the cabinet. She dried off her face before looking down at Emma. From what Regina could tell, Emma's muscles were tense as she leaned forward. Regina frowned and waved her hand as Emma continued to apologize.

"It's alright, dear. Just… don't do it again." Regina looked down at her clothes, frowning at her soaked power suit. At least it was just water.

Regina began to unbutton the vest, slipping that off and laying it on the counter before going for her blouse. As she unbuttoned that, she noticed Emma leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. This worried Regina, especially considering that anytime Regina took off an item of clothing, Emma was there to watch. The blonde stared at her body more times than anyone could count. Regina placed her blouse next to her vest and then turned to Emma, standing in just her pants and bra.

"Emma? What's the matter?" Regina questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"Nothing." Came the quick answer, the blonde not even opening her eyes.

Regina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms against her chest. She stared down at Emma for a moment before removing herself from the bathroom entirely. There was a better way of getting answers from Emma and it seemed she'd have to wait until the blonde was out of her bath. So, Regina disappeared into her closet, searching for the sexiest nightgown she owned. Which, to be honest, was not very hard to find. Most of her nightgowns showed quite a bit of skin.

Half an hour later, when Emma finally immerged from the bathroom, Regina sat quietly reading a book. Her reading glasses sat at the edge of her nose as she pretended to be reading a book. In all reality, she was watching Emma from the corner of her eye. Regina's legs were stretched out on top of the covers, the nightgown having rode up high on her thigh and revealing even more flesh. She could feel Emma staring at her as she changed into a fresh tank top and panties. Regina couldn't help, but stare at Emma from over her book. The things Emma wore to bed never left much for Regina's imagination.

The blonde climbed into bed, curling under the covers quickly and then turning on her side. Her back was facing Regina, thus missing the frown the brunette gave to her back. Oh, something was definitely wrong if Emma didn't even scoot closer to give her a kiss goodnight. Regina placed her book down on the bedside table and turned off the light. Quickly she scooted under the covers, immediately moving over to place a kiss on Emma's neck. She didn't move for a moment, Regina waiting anxiously for a reaction. It felt odd being the one to instigate these types of little things. Emma was always the one showing the most affection. Tonight though, Emma was off and clearly bothered by something, which immediately alarmed Regina. After being with the blond for three years, she was very attuned to how Emma felt. Except for tonight.

Emma stirred, turning around until she was face Regina. She placed a kiss on plump lips before scooting further into Regina's body. She buried her face in her girlfriends neck, but still remained quiet. Regina placed her hand on Emma's hip, massaging the skin there lightly. A small, tiny satisfied sigh escaped Emma and her breath tickled against Regina's neck.

"Emma?" Regina whispered, turning her head slightly to kiss Emma's shoulder.

"Mmm?" Emma moaned back, clearly finding herself in a comfortable position and appreciating the feel of Regina's lips on her skin.

"What is wrong?" She asked for the second time that night.

A long, aggravated groan fell from Emma's lips as she pushed her body further against Regina, trying to concentrate on the feel of Regina's body molding into her.

"Nothing." Emma told her yet again, clearly not wanting to talk about whatever was bothering her. However, Regina pushed further.

"You're lying to me." Regina's tone was almost sharp, a hint of softness behind it. "You crawled into bed and then turned your back to me. You never do that. Not since we started sleeping in the same bed. Something is wrong with you, Emma Swan, and I know it." The older woman pushed Emma onto her back, giving her access to look into green eyes.

Emma was clearly displeased by the turn of events, letting a long sigh escape her. She placed her arm over her eyes, trying to ignore Regina. Regina smacked her arm and moved it, glaring down at Emma. The blonde stared back for a moment, her expression angry, until she couldn't take it anymore. Her expression changed from one of anger to a mixture of anger and hurt. It made Regina's heart clench tightly in her chest to see Emma so crestfallen. Regina placed her hand on Emma's neck and leaned down to place a soft kiss to her lips.

"Tell me what happened." Regina commanded lightly, thumb smoothing soothing circles on Emma's neck.

Emma almost looked reluctant once again, but it seemed that whatever was bothering her hurt more than holding it in anymore.

"I yelled at Mary Margaret today and threw her out of the station." The blonde confessed, frowning deeply at the thought.

"Is that it?" Regina asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow. Emma groaned.

"No. That's not it. If that was it I wouldn't be this pissed." Emma sat up, tying her hair into a band she had wrapped around her wrist. "She same into the office babbling about some crazy shit. She hugged me pretty tightly and then started calling me her 'baby girl.' It was really weird." Emma stopped for a moment, looking back at Regina. Regina looked back at Emma, nodding her head to encourage her to go on. "And when I asked her what was going on, she told me that Henry's book was real and she knew I'd come back to save her. Before I could say anything, she started to get all sad and depressed about how I was in love with the Evil Queen. Oh, but here's what takes the cake. She told me she was my mother. And that's… that's when I threw her out. That was too much. I yelled at her and threw her out."

Emma let out a long sigh when she was through, but she scrunched up her face and placed her head in her hands. She shook her head, sighing inwardly. "I know it sounds ridiculous and I shouldn't be this mad, but she pretty much chastised me about my relationship with you and used the whole parents thing against me. Why the hell would she do that?" Finally the blonde stopped, realizing Regina hadn't said anything. She turned her head towards her girlfriend, nearly catching the terrified look on Regina's face. However, Regina had managed to school her features and smooth them out before Emma could get suspicious. Regina was silent for a moment, feeling Emma's inquisitive stare on her face. Eventually, she turned her head towards Emma and gave her a fairly sad smile.

"I  **am** sorry you're upset, dear. However, you know my feelings for Ms. Blanchard, so I'm not sure I'm the best to give you advice." Regina's tone was rather cold, almost as if she had reverted back to the woman Emma had met when she'd first arrived in Storybrooke.

While Regina could be a handful most of the time, Emma had found that she had melted the Ice Queen's heart fairly well and the warm moments were shown to both her and Henry. Of course, their fights could bring forth the cruel tones and facial expressions, but they were nowhere near a fight. Emma stared at Regina, jaw clenched as her mind mulled this over. On one hand, she wanted to lash out at Regina for being so cold. On the other hand, she knew that doing that would most definitely bring about a fight. So, Emma puffed up her cheeks and then nodded before letting the air out slowly.

"You're right. The two of you have never gotten along very well." Emma's tone was tense and she could feel an eye twitch coming on, but instead she leaned over and kissed Regina on the lips. "I'll just… talk to her about it tomorrow or something. Good night, Regina." She gave Regina a weak smile before turning onto her stomach and burying her head into her pillow.

"Good night." Regina whispered, laying back on the bed herself.

When she was positive that Emma was good and asleep, the blonde's mouth slack and arm slung over her eyes, Regina quietly slipped from the bed. She quickly put a robe on and moved herself quietly downstairs, checking on Henry on the way. Regina slipped into her office and locked the door, making sure that if Emma woke up and came looking for her, she didn't see what Regina was about to take out. Regina placed herself in the chair behind her desk and retrieved the key from a different drawer in the desk.

With precision and carefulness, Regina unlocked the drawer the engagement ring was in, took out the box and placed it on the desk. Her dark brown eyes gazed at the box for a few moments, unwilling to move as she thought about what Emma had said. It wasn't that she didn't feel horrible for getting into a fight with her friend, but the fear that Mary Margaret's memories had returned trumped any other emotion she could be feeling. What she wanted to know most was how it had happened. What had triggered Mary Margaret's mind to remember her old life?

Regina began to wonder if perhaps she wasn't going to get her happy ending at all. Maybe life was just letting her get a taste before it ripped it right out from under her yet again. It was all she had ever known, ever experienced, so why would this time be any different. Tears formed in Regina's eyes as she opened the box to reveal the engagement ring. However, she refused to let them fall. With a feather like touch, she ran the pad of her thumb over the ring. It was beautiful and it told her that she had been ready for really dive into forever with Emma, but it seemed that life wanted something very different. Regina to began to wonder if she had made a mistake buying that ring, wondered if perhaps that had set something off. Just when she thought that void inside herself had been filled, life was rearing its ugly head back to rip it out once more.


End file.
